Earliest memory of Glasgow? My mother, dressing up for the first Sunday in May.
Which street did you live on? I lived at 6 Glebe Street in Townhead, from when I was born in April 1940 until 1957. My parents had 13 children (including two sets of twins) living in Glebe Street and when we finally got a five-apartment in Easterhouse, they had three more. It was wonderful to have four rooms and a bathroom and kitchenette.
View from Glebe Street towards Castle Street from the bridge over the Forth and Clyde. December 1963. Pic: Herald and Times
Describe your house: The kitchen had two inset beds, a fireplace-cooker, a black sink and a coal bunker. The bedroom consisted of one wardrobe and a set of drawers. We had gas lighting – when I was 12, electricity came to our wee part of Glebe Street.
What school did you go to? St Mungo’s School for Girls. Then I worked for Binns, the shirt factory and got paid 10/6 on a Wednesday.
Favourite local cinema? The Carlton and The Casino on Castle Street.
The Manx Bar in 1953, when beer was being sold at 1937 prices.Pic: Herald and Times
Favourite local shop? The best was Miss Gibb’s wee shop, which sold the best lucky bags for a penny or twopenny. Glebe Street was a lively place. Buskers often came round, singers and accordion players – even men playing the spoons. I remember the Manx Bar. On Parliamentary Road there was a grocer, a dairy, butcher, shoe shop and clothes store. I often had to wait in the queues which I hated, but being the eldest I had no choice.
Where did you go dancing? St Paul’s Hall on McAslin Street
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Best thing about growing up in Glasgow? We were a large family and we had lots of fun, holding concerts, making costumes from crepe paper, and we all loved listening to the wireless, no matter what was on. My father was a miner, working in horrible conditions. He was well-read, and as soon as we turned seven, he enrolled us in Castle Street library. To this day, we are all ardent readers.
Happiest childhood memory: We have all done well in life, which is down to our beloved mother, who always told us there was a big wide world out there to explore.
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